A Blog About a Bloke-Living with WHS

I want to take a moment to express my absolute gratitude for all of my friends and family who have voted, shared and joined the Vote 4 Elliott group on Facebook. This whole experience has been amazing. This is life changing for Liv and Elliott. I think that every person who has been part of this has taken something really special away with them. Helping each other, even perfect strangers is not hard. It can be as simple as the click of a button on the computer. It can be as simple as a smile. It is as simple as love. There is more to come for Liv and Elliott, of that I am sure. And I believe, that for everyone who has been a part of this, there is something inside of them that has changed.

Yesterday I posted about  Olivia and Elliott  and their quest to win a competition that would be life changing. As I write this, they are now in the number ONE position. This is because of the outpouring of support we have seen in the realms of social media. I must admit, I have voted for various things in the past and thought: "What's the point?". I have now seen with my own eyes just how much my vote does count (and yours, and yours and yours). In less than a week, Liv has gone from no votes and a link on her Facebook page, to number one position and over 7000 people following her  VOTE 4 ELLIOTT  page. We can't stop now. There is still 5 days of voting to go. We must keep her in that winning position. So what can you do? Vote of course! Never again, at least, not in the Cressida  will take you straight there! This will change Liv and Elliott's lives. By making your vote count, you are saying that we all count. Supporting each other is one of...

I am currently watching something really huge happen in the world of social media. I have seen this before. But never actually been a part of something that involves one of my close mates. It is pretty awesome to watch actually. As long time readers of this blog would know Liv is mum to Elliott. Liv is one of the most generous and giving people I know. She is also a sole parent doing a wonderful job of raising Elliott. Being a parent is hard. Being a parent to a child with a disability is harder. Being a parent to a child with a disability, while on your own, is harder still. Liv recently entered a competition to win a brand new car. Not because she would just like to have a fancy car. But because she NEEDS a car she can convert, so Elliott can travel in his wheelchair. The car she has currently is pretty old, and she is having to reach in awkwardly to put Elliott in and out of his car seat. These type of transfers are not sustainable (as any good physio will tell you). ...

Dear Ryley, Every year we celebrate each birthday milestone, and somewhere, somehow we breath a little sigh of relief that we have made it through another year. You are 11!! Where oh where has that time gone? Each year I can't help but remember that moment when I first laid eyes on you. The instant I saw you I knew you were perfect, I fell in love with your whole being, which is why it was so difficult when the doctors started pointing out things that were 'wrong'. I have no doubt some would call it denial, but I refused to look at you as if you were anything less than perfect. And you know what? I have never thought any differently about you. You are perfect to me (and your Dad and your little brother). I see your frustrations. I see your sadness sometimes. I see your acceptance. I see you Ryley, for who you are; for you are a beautiful kind soul, who loves unconditionally and continues to teach us about what that truly means. What do I hope for you this y...

I keep opening up my blog and staring at the blinking white screen. For some reason, I just haven't been able to put the words into a proper blog post. So many garbled words keep jumping out on the page, as I stumble over the constant thoughts. I want to write about issues, things that are bothering me, the kids, the stuff that no one else likes to write...but for some reason the posts that are half-written in my head seem to stay there. *Shrugs shoulders* Today, my baby started school. Yes. My baby started school. Although, he isn't exactly my baby any more, and really, I should be referring to him as my youngest. But there was a twinge of my heart today as he cried and clung to me. I couldn't bear it really. So, for his sake, I walked away and left him to cling to his father. My tears flowed, and I could feel the other parents glancing at me, some with sympathy, some barely containing their own tears, some with amusement. I didn't care. Braeden was so...